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Abstract:

The invention relates to a cover for at least one air-conditioning device
arranged on a cladding element, in particular of a switchgear cabinet.
The cover has a cover housing having a front wall and side parts
connected thereto. The side parts keep the front wall at a distance from
the cladding element. At least one holder for the cover housing is fitted
to the cladding element. According to the invention, the holder comprises
vertical hook elements into which the cover housing can be suspended by
hook receptacles in the direction of gravity.

Claims:

1-10. (canceled)

11. A cover for at least one air-conditioning device arranged on a
cladding element of a switchgear cabinet, comprising a cover housing
having a front wall (13) and side parts connected thereto, the side parts
keeping the front wall at a distance from the cladding element and at
least one holder for the cover housing being fitted to the cladding
element and wherein the holder comprises vertical hook elements into
which the cover housing can be suspended by hook receptacles in the
direction (S) of gravity, wherein the holder is directly connected to the
cladding element, that the hook receptacles provided at the cover housing
are formed in receiving profiles connected to the side parts and
extending along the side parts of the cover housing and respectively
comprising at least one profiled section which carries the hook
receptacles and is arranged transversely to the direction of protrusion
of the hook elements; and the receiving profiles respectively comprise an
abutment section which is bent parallel to the associated side part of
the cover housing and is adjacent to the profiled section carrying the
hook receptacles, the abutment section being connected to the inner
surface of the associated side part.

12. The cover of claim 11, wherein the holder comprises at least two legs
which are spaced apart from another and protrude from the cladding
element towards the cover housing, wherein each leg comprises at least
one vertical hook element protruding from the legs towards the cover
housing.

13. The cover of claim 12, wherein an opening in the cladding element is
formed between the two legs in which the air-conditioning device can be
arranged.

14. The cover of claim 12, wherein the holder comprises a U-shaped
support having two legs which are interconnected by a connecting section.

15. The cover of claim 14, wherein an opening is formed in the connecting
section between the two legs which is substantially aligned with the
opening of the cladding element and in which the air-conditioning device
can be arranged.

16. The cover of claim 11, wherein the profiled section carrying the hook
receptacles is bent at a free end thereof at an angle towards the
cladding element for forming a mounting assist for the hook elements.

17. The cover of claim 11, wherein the receiving profiles comprise a
profiled section which is bent to L-shape and is adjacent to the abutment
section and which forms a vertical seal receiver extending along the side
parts of the cover housing and open towards the cladding element, into
which a sealing element may be inserted which at least partly protrudes
towards the cladding element.

18. The cover of claim 11, wherein a lid element is connected at an angle
(α) to the front wall of the cover housing, which forms a
horizontal supporting section bent towards the cladding element, wherein
a bar is provided which protrudes from the inner surface of the lid
element towards the cladding element and is spaced apart from the
supporting section and which defines a horizontal seal receiver open
towards the cladding element into which a sealing element may be inserted
which at least partly protrudes towards the cladding element.

Description:

[0001] The invention relates to a cover for at least one air-conditioning
device arranged on a cladding element in particular of a switchgear
cabinet, comprising a cover housing having a front wall and side parts
connected thereto, the side parts keeping the front wall at a distance
from the cladding element, and at least one holder for the cover housing
being fitted to the cladding element.

[0002] Switchgear cabinets are often operated in environments where they
are subjected to dust and moisture. To protect the electronic built-in
units installed in the switchgear cabinets, the switchgear cabinets are
sealed against the environment. Heat produced by the electronic built-in
units cannot be sufficiently dissipated merely by convection. It is for
this reason that an opening is left out from a cladding element, for
example a side wall or a lid part covering the switchgear cabinet. An
air-conditioning device is inserted into this opening. Via this device,
air may be sucked for cooling from the environment or may be dispensed
thereto. As air-conditioning devices, fans, suction ducts or the like are
often used. In many cases, the opening alone is sufficient as an
air-conditioning device for increased convection.

[0003] In order to prevent that dust reaches the switchgear cabinet via
the air-conditioning device, the opening is covered by a filter mat.

[0004] To keep moisture out, for example rain or splash water, it is
known, for example from DE 43 44 659 C1, to use a cover. The cover
consists of a closed cover housing which is open merely at the bottom and
to the vertical side wall of the switchgear cabinet. For attaching the
cover housing to the side wall, fixing screws are used. They are
introduced through fixing seats of the fan which is inserted into the
opening of the side wall. Bores are provided at the rear wall of the
cover housing adjacent to the side wall through which the screw bolts of
the fixing screws protrude. Nuts are screwed to the screw bolts so that
the fan and the cover housing are tensioned with the side wall. Such
mounting is very elaborate, since firstly the fixing screws and the fan
must be held by a person from the interior of the switchgear cabinet. Now
a second person introduces the nuts to the screw bolts through the
downwardly open cover housing from the exterior of the switchgear cabinet
and counters them.

[0005] A generic cover which may be more easily mounted compared to the
cover of DE 43 44 659 C1 is known from DE 196 41 553 C2. The holder of DE
196 41 553 C2 possesses guides at which the cover may be suspended. Thus,
the cover is directly connected to the stable cladding element. This
feature ensures that even if violence is effected to the cover, the units
below cannot be damaged easily. Further, the holder is equipped with
vertical guides onto which the cover may be slid with the aid of guide
seats. The guides are kept spaced apart from the cladding element.

[0006] By means of the guides, the cover housing may be attached to the
cladding element. To this end the cover housing must be plugged onto the
guides with its guide seats. Considerable space requirement above the
guides is necessary which is determined by the length of the cover
housing. Dismounting of the known cover is likewise elaborate.

[0007] Now it is the object of the invention to provide a cover which is
particularly simple in construction compared to the generic cover and
which allows a particularly good sealing while having small space
requirement and good handling qualities when mounted or dismounted. The
cover is intended to secure the covered air-conditioning device
effectively against splash water and in particular also against strong
directed water jets, namely to form a so-called hose-proof hood.

[0008] This object of the invention is solved by a cover according to the
features of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are described in the
subclaims. According to a basic idea of the invention, the holder
comprises vertical hook elements in which the cover housing can be
suspended by hook receptacles in the direction of gravity. To disengage
the hook receptacles of the cover housing from the hook elements, the
cover housing must be lifted only by the vertical hook length. The same
small space requirement upwards is needed for mounting or suspending,
respectively, the hook receptacles to the hook elements. Such dismounting
or mounting, respectively, at a cladding element, for example a side
wall, a door or a cover part of a switchgear cabinet, is easy to manage,
and the total space requirement is low.

[0009] In a simple reversal of the effect, the cover housing may comprise
vertical hook elements which can be suspended by hook receptacles in the
holder in the direction of gravity.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the holder may comprise at least two
legs which are spaced apart from another and protrude from the cladding
element towards the cover housing. Each leg comprises at least one
vertical hook element protruding from the legs towards the cover housing.
By spacing the legs or the hook elements mounted thereto, respectively, a
particularly stable fitting method for the cover housing is produced.

[0011] In order to correctly position the cover at the air-conditioning
device to be covered, an opening in the cladding element may be formed
between the two legs in which the air-conditioning device can be inserted
and secured. To this end, snap-in or lock elements or screw connections
can be used.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the holder may comprise a
U-shaped support having two legs which are interconnected by a connecting
section. Such an embodied holder is particularly stable and particularly
easy to manage during mounting due to its integral construction.
Moreover, the connecting section defines the distance between the two
legs.

[0013] For positioning at the air-conditioning device to be covered, an
opening is formed in the connecting section between the two legs which is
substantially aligned with the opening of the cladding element and in
which the air-conditioning device can be arranged. The connecting section
may surround the air-conditioning device like a frame. Thereby, a
pre-defined positioning of the holder and consequently of the cover is
ensured.

[0014] The legs may be formed as flat shaped parts, the hook elements
being formed integrally with the legs as extensions thereof. Such flat
shaped parts may be easily produced from metal or plastics. The integral
construction of legs and hook elements is particularly stable.

[0015] The hook receptacles provided at the cover housing may be formed in
receiving profiles connected to the associated side parts and extending
along the side parts of the cover housing. The receiving profiles
respectively comprise at least one profiled section which carries the
hook receptacles and is arranged transversely to the direction of
protrusion of the hook elements. The receiving profiles ensure stable
mounting of the cover housing. The hook receptacles may be embodies as
vertical receiving slots, into which the vertical narrow hook elements
may be suspended in the direction of gravity.

[0016] To facilitate positioning of the hook elements in the hook
receptacles or maneuvering the hook elements into the hook receptacles,
the profiled section carrying the hook receptacles may be bent at a free
end thereof at an angle towards the cladding element for forming a
mounting assist for the hook elements.

[0017] In order to produce a particularly stable fitting method for the
receiving profiles, they may respectively comprise an abutment section
which is bent parallel to the associated side part of the cover housing
and is adjacent to the profiled section carrying the hook receptacles.
The abutment section is connected to the inner surface of the associated
side part, in particular glued or welded or brazed.

[0018] Furthermore, the receiving profiles may comprise a profiled section
which is bent to L-shape and is adjacent to the abutment section and
which forms a vertical seal receiver extending along the side parts of
the cover housing and open towards the cladding element. A sealing
element may be inserted into the vertical seal receiver which at least
partly protrudes towards the cladding element. When the cover housing is
suspended in the hook receptacles by the hook elements, the protruding
part of the sealing element contacts the cladding element. When the hook
receptacles are completely suspended by the hook elements, the sealing
element is compressed creating a sealing abutment. Furthermore, the
sealing element serves as a resilient element due to its elastic
deformability, where the hook receptacles must be suspended by the hook
elements against the spring force thereof.

[0019] A lid element may be connected at an angle to the front wall of the
cover housing. That oblique lid element forms a horizontal supporting
section bent towards the cladding element. A bar which protrudes from the
inner surface of the lid element towards the cladding element and is
spaced apart from the supporting section defines a horizontal seal
receiver open towards the cladding element. A sealing element may in turn
be inserted into the horizontal seal receiver which at least partly
protrudes towards the cladding element. When the cover housing is
suspended in the hook receptacles by the hook elements, the protruding
part of the sealing element inserted into the horizontal seal receiver
contacts the cladding element in the same way as a sealing element
inserted into the vertical seal receiver.

[0020] A particularly good sealing may be achieved in that a continuous
sealing receiver for receiving a sealing element which at least partly
protrudes towards the cladding element may be arranged at the side parts
and the supporting section. Thus, an elongate one-piece sealing element
may be used.

[0021] The cover housing can be made of metal, for example V2A steel, as a
punched and bent component, or may be made of plastics.

[0022] The invention will be explained in detail below with the aid of an
exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawings. It is shown in:

[0023]FIG. 1 in a schematic and sectional side view a cover, wherein the
cover housing is illustrated in a condition separate from the holder;

[0024]FIG. 2 in a schematic sectional view along section line II-II in
FIG. 1 the cover of FIG. 1;

[0025]FIG. 3 in a schematic and sectioned side view the cover of FIGS. 1
and 2, wherein the cover housing is engaged with the holder;

[0026]FIG. 4 in a schematic sectional view along section line IV-IV in
FIG. 3 the cover of FIG. 3; and

[0027]FIG. 5 in an enlarged illustration a region of a hook element
illustrated in a dotted circle V of FIG. 1.

[0028]FIG. 1 shows in a schematic and sectional side view a cover for an
air-conditioning device 50 arranged on the outside of a cladding element
10 of a switchgear cabinet. In the illustrated example, cladding element
10 is a side wall of a switchgear cabinet.

[0029]FIG. 2 shows the cover of FIG. 1 in a schematic sectional view
along section line II-II of FIG. 1.

[0030] In the figures, air-conditioning unit 50 is substantially
illustrated as a highly simplified "black box". Illustrated
air-conditioning device 50 is configured as a blower with a fan module
conveying cool ambient air into the interior of the switchgear cabinet.

[0031] Alternatively, the air-conditioning device may be configured as a
blower having a fan module conveying heated air from the interior of a
switchgear cabinet to the outside. Further, the air-conditioning device
may also be realized without a fan module.

[0032] Air-conditioning device 50 as shown in the figures is inserted into
an opening 60 of cladding element 10. In the interior of the switchgear
cabinet, air-conditioning device 50 comprises a fan housing 52
accommodating the fan module which is not shown. A filter mat 54 is
applied to fan housing 52 from the outside. On the outside, filter mat 54
is held by a louvered grille 56 sitting thereon.

[0033] The cover comprises a cover housing 12 having a front wall 13. As
is made clear with the aid of FIG. 2, a left side part 14a and a right
side part 14b are connected to front wall 13. Side parts 14a and 14b keep
front wall 13 spaced apart from cladding element 10. The cover housing 12
is made of V2A steel sheet as a punched and bent part. A holder 20 for
covering housing 12 is attached to cladding element 10.

[0034] In FIGS. 1 and 2 cover housing 2 is illustrated in a condition
separated from holder 20.

[0035] Holder 20 is formed as a U-shaped support and comprises two
vertically extending legs protruding from cladding element 10 towards
cover housing 12 which are spaced apart from another, namely left hand
leg 25a and right hand leg 25b. Left hand leg 25a comprises two vertical
hook elements 21a and 22a arranged one above the other. Also the right
hand leg comprises a lower and an upper hook element, only upper hook
element 21b being shown in FIG. 2.

[0036] Legs 25a and 25b are formed as flat punched shaped parts made of
steel sheet. Hook elements 21a, 21b and 22a are integrally formed with
legs 25a and 25b as extensions thereof.

[0037] The two legs 25a and 25b of the U-shaped support are interconnected
by a connecting section 26. Legs 25a and 25b are integrally formed with
connecting section 26. Opening 60 in cladding element 10 is made between
the two legs 25a and 25b. Another opening 70 is formed in connecting
section 26 between the two legs 25a and 25b which is aligned with opening
60 of cladding element 10. Air-conditioning device 50 is inserted into
aligned openings 60 and 70. Connecting section 26 surrounds
air-conditioning device 25 like a frame at the outside of cladding
element 10. In the frame portion of connecting section 26, bolts for
passing fixing screws 27 are made which in turn are inserted into screw
seats attached in cladding element 10.

[0038] Cover housing 12 having hook receptacles 33a, 33b and 34a which are
formed as vertical receiving slots may be suspended by vertical hook
elements 21a, 21b and 22a in direction of gravity according to arrow S.
Hook receptacles 33a, 33b and 34a are formed in profiled sections 31a and
31b of receiving profiles 30a and 30b extending along side parts 14a and
14b of cover housing 12. Profiled sections 31a and 31b are arranged
transversely to the direction of protrusion of hook elements 21a, 21b;
22a. Left hand profiled section 31a comprises two vertical hook
receptacles 33a and 34a arranged one above the other. Also right hand
profiled section 31b comprises a lower and an upper hook receptacle where
only upper hook receptacle 33b is shown in FIG. 2.

[0040] Left hand and right hand receiving profiles 30a and 30b are welded
to the associated left hand and right hand side parts 14a or 14b,
respectively, via their abutment sections 36a and 36b.

[0041] With the aid of FIG. 2 it is clear that the profiled sections 31a
or 31b, respectively, carrying hook receptacles 33a and 33b, are bent at
an angle towards the cladding element 10 at their free ends. These bends
respectively form a mounting aid 32a and 32b for the hook elements.

[0042] Receiving profiles 30a and 30b respectively comprise a profiled
section 37a and 37b which is bent to L-shape and is adjacent to abutment
section 36a or 36b, respectively. Left hand profiled section 37a forms a
vertical left hand sealing receiver 38a which extends along the left hand
side 14a of cover housing 12 and is open towards cladding element 10.
Right hand profiled section 37b also forms a vertical right hand sealing
receiver 38a which extends along the right hand side part 14b of cover
housing 12 and is open towards cladding element 10. A sealing element 39
partly protruding towards cladding element 10 is inserted into vertical
sealing receivers 38a and 38b.

[0044] A continuous sealing receiver is formed at side parts 14a and 14b
and horizontal supporting section 16 of cover housing 12 into which
sealing element 39 is inserted as an elongate, one-piece elastic shaped
part.

[0045]FIG. 3 shows in a schematic and sectional side view of the cover
according to FIGS. 1 and 2, cover housing 12 being engaged with holder
20. FIG. 4 shows in a schematic sectional view along section line IV-IV
of FIG. 3 the cover of FIG. 3.

[0046] In the illustrations of FIGS. 3 and 4, cover housing 12 having hook
receptacles 33a and 34a which are formed as vertical receiving slots, is
suspended by vertical hook elements 21a and 22a of holder 20 in direction
of gravity according to arrow S. Continuous sealing element 39 which
partly protrudes towards cladding element 10 is pressed into continuous
sealing receptacle and deformed between cover housing 12 and cladding
element 10.

[0047] When suspending hook receptacles 33a and 34a of cover housing 12 by
hook elements 21a and 22a of holder 20, the protruding part of sealing
element 39 contacts cladding element 10. When hook receptacles 33a and
34a are completely suspended by hook elements 21a and 22a, sealing
element 39 is compressed so that a sealing abutment to cladding element
10 is created. Furthermore, sealing element 39 serves as a spring
element, due to its elastic deformability, so that hook receptacles 33a
and 34a are suspended by hook elements against the spring force thereof.

[0048] For dismounting cover housing 12, hook receptacles 33a and 34a of
cover housing 12 must be disengaged from hook elements 21a and 22a of
holder 20. Press force caused by the spring force of sealing element 39
must be overcome. To this end a force directed against the direction of
gravity S can be applied to the lower edge region of cover housing 12,
for example with the ball of the hand. The lower edge region of cover
housing 12 is inwardly bent at front wall 13 and forms an edge protection
19 for the ball of the hand.

[0049]FIG. 5 shows in an enlarged illustration a region of hook element
22a illustrated in FIG. 1 in a dotted circle V. Hook element 22a
comprises a vertical receiving gap 23 for hook receptacle 33a which is
upwardly open. Hook element 22a extends from the hook tip to receiving
gap 23 in an approach slope 24 inclined at an angle β. When hook
receptacle 33a reaches the region of approach slope 24 during mounting,
it is forced towards receiving gap 23 in a movement in direction of
gravity S along the approach slope. Consequently, also cover housing 12
is forced towards cladding element 10 so that the protruding part of
sealing element 39 sealingly contacts cladding element 10.

Patent applications by Rittal GmbH & Co. KG

Patent applications in class Having specific cover or shield for exterior vent opening

Patent applications in all subclasses Having specific cover or shield for exterior vent opening